Q5 engine auto shut off at stops

JimmyFrack

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 14, 2005
Location
NJ
TDI
A5 2010 Jetta TDI & 2012 Sportwagen
My sister in law just purchased a new q5 and it has this weird option to turn off the engine every time the car stops.... I always thought it was better to let the engine just run won't the constant starting and stopping cause excessive wear on the engine? Or just be bad in general?
 

BlankThis

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2012
Location
Montreal, QC
TDI
2002 Golf GLS TDI
That's the stop/start system that helps conserve fuel (and lower emissions) that shuts the engine down at stop lights. I can't comment on the long term affects on the engine, but I would imagine it would shorten the lifespan of the starter.
 

fowvey

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Location
Phoenix
TDI
(2014 Jetta TDI DSG) -Gone, but not forgotten, 2014 Audi A6 TDI
My A6 has this and I was told that it has been tested to withstand 200000 starts for the starter.
 

TDIBone

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2012
Location
Brantford, ON
TDI
2015 Golf Sportwagon TDI
Given how long it takes my TDI to warm up in winter weather, I would think this constant on/off thing would make that worse and hence, fuel economy drops.

While I was in Denmark, I rode in a MB diesel taxi with this feature. Very strange feeling. The reviews all say you barely notice when the engine starts again, but other comments seem to indicate it gets more noticeable as the car ages.
 

Tureq

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Location
Finland
TDI
Skoda Octavia Combi 1.9TDI -08, VW Jetta 1.9TDI -08
Several things have to be in limits that start/stop system works, for example engine temperature (near normal), battery charge and so on. In cold areas it's sometimes hard to have system working in whole winter...

4-cylinder CDI-Merc isn't so refined as the bigger engines.
 
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